Event Registration

MDRC Youth! Boys With Disabilities Program

​Are you a high school boy, between the ages of 14-19, with a disability? Would you like to meet other boys with disabilities from across the state of Michigan? Then you need to register today to find your disability identity, and celebrate your disability pride! ​The world we live in continually tells us how we are supposed to act, who we are supposed to be, and what we are supposed to look like. Together we will take a look at stereotypes and myths we are taught to believe as boys with disabilities.At this interactive two day event we will participate in activities to learn from each other and to teach the world how we see ourselves.

The registration for for the Boy's Program is attached below. Please complete and return the form by the 10th of May.

(From left to right: David St Amant, Paul Miller and Joe Pietron) The above picture shows three of the events facilitators. All three are people with disabilities.

MOre About the program

This is our first year holding the Boy's Program. This year’s program will be held from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM on May 14th and 15th at the Michigan Disability Rights Coalition Office at 3498 E Lake Lansing Rd, East Lansing, 48823, MI. In the future we plan to expand to an overnight event. Parents or guardians traveling from out of town can apply for a small stipend to help with transportation or hotel costs.Over the past six years MDRC has been holding a multi-day, overnight girl’s event called Her Power! Her Pride! Her Voice! That program is designed specifically to cater to girls with disabilities. Her Power! has been a huge success so we decided to develop a program designed specifically for boys.The staff member taking charge on the project is Joe Pietron. Joe, who identifies as having a disability, has been with MDRC since 2013. He manages the MDRC Youth Program and has traveled to schools across Michigan with his co-presenter (Paul Miller who is also pictured above) teaching students, with and without disabilities, about disability pride, culture and community. As of today Joe have spoken to approximately 2000 students and has received overwhelmingly positive evaluations.The Boy’s Program will emphasize activity-based learning followed by discussions. The themes for the program were developed from several stakeholder sessions with prominent figures in the disability community. The event will focus on learning about the disability community, disability pride, disability language, media’s portal of men and people with disabilities, healthy lifestyles, and healthy relationships. The event will be run by an all-male staff, most of them adults with disabilities that are experts in the event’s topics. We will be providing personal assistants. All staff members have their background checked. To support the goal of independence and freedom of expression this program does not accept parent and guardian volunteers.If you would like to discuss the program more with me please give Joe Pietron a call at (517) 333-2477 x 310.​